By Glenys Furness
- Luke Johnson claimed ATP Challenger title
- Brit was second seed with Dutch partner
- Claimed the final in straight sets
ROME, GEORGIA, USA – Luke Johnson and Sam Verbeek took the title at the Challenger event. The Brit/Dutch pair didn’t face another seed all event.
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ATP/WTA
Jonny O’Mara and Dan Evans teamed up together for the doubles in Doha. In the first round the Brits were against Ilya Ivashka & Andrey Rublev. O’Mara & Evans stayed toe to toe with Ivashka & Rublev in the first set, and tiebreak ensued. The breaker saw Ivashka & Rublev edge ahead and take the lead. The second set was also very close, and looked to be heading to a breaker again. However, the Brits managed to get the break of serve needed and levelled up the match. In the match tiebreak O’Mara & Evans edged through and booked a spot in the next round 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-7.
The quarter-final saw the Brits against the second seeds Hugo Nys & Jan Zielinski. Just like the first round O’Mara & Evans fought hard and forced a tiebreak. This time, however, the Brits eased through as the Poles were unable to stop the Brits breaking. The second set saw O’Mara & Evans secure the vital break of serve right at the end to move into the next round 7-6(3), 7-5.
In the semi-final O’Mara & Evans were against third seeds Matthew Ebden & Rohan Bopanna. The Australian/Indian managed to break serve of the Brits and took the lead. The second set saw the Brits try and fight back, however, Ebden & Bopanna broke serve and too the match 6-4, 6-3.
Liam Broady & Alexander Zverev took the first set against Ebden & Bopanna in a very tight set. However the third fought back in the second and dominated to level up the match. The match tiebreak saw the seeds ease through to the next round 5-7, 6-1, 10-3.
Challenger & ITF
Luke Johnson teamed up with Sam Berbeek to play the Challenger event in Rome, Georgia and were the second seeds. The Brit/Dutch drew Henri Squire & Daniel Rincorn in the first round. The Johnson & Verbeek were forced into a first set tiebreak, which Squire & Rincorn won and took the lead. The second set saw the seeds manage to break serve and level up the match. The match tiebreak ebbed & flowed until, finally Johnson & Verbeek edged ahead and moved into the next round 6-7, 6-3, 10-6.
The quarter-final saw the Brit/Dutch against Benjamin Sigouin & Alex Michelsen. The Canadian/American stayed toe to toe with the seeds, and managed to break the serve of Johnson & Verbeek to take the lead. However, the Brit/Dutch pair regrouped in the second set and dominated to level up the match. The ensuing match tiebreak was very close. However, eventually Johnson & Verbeek got the break needed to move into the next round 5-7, 6-2, 11-9.
In the semi-final the Brit/Dutch pair were against Edan Leshem & Alexis Galarneau. The Israeli/Canadian were no match for the seeds who dominated the match from the outset. The first set saw the Brit/Dutch pair only lose one game to take the lead. The second set saw Leshem & Galarneau hold serve twice, but they were unable to do anything as the seeds rolled on and took the match 6-1, 6-2.
The final saw the seeds against Alex Rybakov & Gabriel Decamps. The American/Brazilian were outplayed by the second seeds as Johnson & Verbeek dominated from the start. No matter what Rybakov & Decamps threw at them, the seeds were ready for it. Johnson & Verbeek claimed the title in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
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Doubles Round Up
Marcus Willis & Scott Duncan were defeated by Edan Leshem & Alexis Galarneau in the quater-final in Rome, Georgia 6-4, 3-6, 11-9.
Joshua Paris with Daniel Cukierman were defeated by Alex Rybakov & Gabriel Decamps in the semi-final in Rome, Georgia 7-6, 6-3.
Alicia Barnett & Olivia Nicholls were defeated by Zhu Lin & Wang Xiyu in the first round in Merida 6-1, 4-6, 10-6.
Charles Broom with Zvonimir Babic were defeated by Franko Skugor & Vlad Victor Cornea in the quarter-final in Rovereto 6-3, 6-2.
Sean Hodkin with Pedro Araujo were defeated by Giovanni Fonio & Juan Bautista Otegui in the first round in Faro 6-3, 6-7, 10-4.
Billy Harris with Yshai Oliel were defeated by Fabio Coelho & Goncalo Falcao in the first round in Faro 2-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Yuriko Lily Miyazaki with Ylena In-Albon were defeated by Magali Kempen & Xenia Knoll in the quarter-final in Macon 6-2, 6-3.
Emily Appleton with Jessy Rompies were defeated by Darya Astakhova & Prarthana G Thombare in the semi-final in Macon 6-3, 3-6, 12-10.
Ali Habib with Marat Sharipov were defeated by Jeong Yeonsoek & Son Ji-Hoon in the quarter-final in Sharm-El-Sheikh 6-4, 6-2.
Abigail Amos with Arabella Koller were defeated by Lee Eun-Ji & Wi Hwiwon in the quarter-final in Sharm-El-Sheikh 7-6, 6-1.
Emilie Lindh with Luca Udvardy defeated Aleksandra Pospelova & Nina Rudiukova in the final in Sharm-El-Sheikh 6-4, 5-7, 10-3.
Alisha Reayer with Camila Romero were defeated by Enola Chiesa & Vlada Ekshibarova in the quarter-final in Manacor 6-4, 7-6.
Next week Brits play in Acapulco, Dubai, Pune, Waco, Portugal, Spain, USA, Egypt, Austin, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Australia, France, India, Canada & Spain.
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